1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to electronic cameras and more specifically to the printing of images produced by such camera.
2. Description of the Related Art
Digital cameras, digital phones, PDAs and the like which obtain and display acquired images electronically are in widespread use. Digital images produced from these devices are typically stored in memory and these images can be shown on a display so that the user can determine which image should be stored for use in producing hard copy images. Typically, these images can be stored in a magnetic disk or a compact PCMCIA Flash RAM Card. Once stored, the image data is generally downloaded to a separate print apparatus for hard copy production.
More recently, attempts have been made to incorporate printing apparatus into the cameras themselves so that no separate printing apparatus is required. With such a combination camera/printing apparatus, images can be acquired and printed at any location, without waiting to perform a separate image download to other processing and print apparatus.
One example of this type of combination camera and printing apparatus is provided in U.S. Pat. No. 5,757,388 to Stephenson. This document shows an electronic imaging camera and an ink jet printing apparatus which can be interconnected for use either in combination or apart. In this device, the image acquisition apparatus is provided in one housing, and the printing apparatus is provided in a second separate housing. This device is thus essentially two separate devices with a means for coupling the two together. Another example camera/printing apparatus combination is provided by U.S. Pat. No. 6,149,256 to McIntyre. In this case, a single housing includes the image acquisition apparatus and a page wide print head. A separate housing is used to provide sheets of paper, ink, and a power supply for the printing apparatus. Although both of these documents describe combination camera and printing apparatus embodiments, neither is designed to optimize print quality while minimizing the size and cost of producing and operating the apparatus.
In one embodiment, the invention comprises a handheld image acquisition apparatus comprising a first housing having mounted therein an image acquisition device, processing circuitry coupled to the image acquisition device and configured to receive image data from the image acquisition device and to process the image data into pixel data forming a plurality of image planes of different colors and an ink jet printing apparatus. The printing apparatus comprises an ink receiving media drive member configured to advance ink receiving media in a first direction and a scanning ink jet print head coupled to receive the pixel data and to eject droplets of liquid ink onto the ink receiving media in accordance with the pixel data by repeated motion transverse to the first direction of media advance. The apparatus further comprises a second housing insertable into and removable from the first housing, the second housing containing sheets of the ink receiving media.
In another embodiment, a printing apparatus comprises a paper drive roller and a print carriage mounted on the paper drive roller. A drive motor is attached to the print carriage, and the motor is configured to move the print carriage along the paper drive roller. In one embodiment, a cam is connected to at least one end of the paper drive roller, and an actuator attached to the print carriage is positioned such that when the drive motor moves the print carriage to an end of the paper drive roller, the actuator engages the cam and causes the paper drive roller to rotate.
Another printing apparatus embodiment comprises a moveable ink jet print head mounted on a combination guide rod and media advance roller.
In addition, a combination image acquisition device and ink jet printing apparatus is provided which comprises a first housing containing an image aquisition device and a moveable ink jet print head mounted on a guide rod. In this embodiment, a a second housing contains sheets of ink receiving media and is inserted into the first housing to a position in which a portion of the second housing resides beneath the guide rod during the printing process.